Who are Validators?

Validators play an important role in ensuring the security of a blockchain network and facilitating the creation of new blocks. They also participate in the consensus process with other validators.

What Validators Do

Validators are incentivized to participate in the network through the use of VNE and are required to "stake" a certain amount of coins to become a validator. The stake acts as a guarantee of good conduct, and whenever they make a mistake, this stake is slashed. In contrast, when they follow the rules, they are generously compensated.

Operating a validator on a live network carries substantial responsibility. Validators are accountable not only for their own staked VNE but also for the stakes delegated by nominators who trust them.

Any failure to meet network requirements—such as downtime, improper block validation, or malicious activity—can result in slashing penalties, leading to financial losses for both the validator and their nominators. Beyond monetary consequences, a validator’s reputation within the ecosystem is also at stake, as consistent penalties may discourage future nominations and participation.